- 16-day campaign starts: To Take Back the Tech! to end violence against women

16-day campaign starts: To Take Back the Tech! to end violence against women

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By APC WNSP for APC

CUERNAVACA, Mexico, 25 November 2009

From 25 November to 10 December, get
ready to click your mouse, flex your SMS fingers and engage full
energy to take control of technology to end violence against women.
APC's Women’s Programme calls on
users of the radio, television, internet, emails and mobile phones to
Take Back the Tech!

//In Malaysia, women in
the community
are learning how to blog, and posting their perceptions on violence
against women in their own language// //In Mexico, women's
communication rights activists and journalists will take over Twitter
for 16 days of feminist tweeting on technology how-tos and against
violence against women// //In the Republic of Congo, students will
write and perform a play on violence against women and technology//

What is the campaign about?

Take Back the Tech! is a collaborative
campaign for anyone using the internet and technology to protest
violence against women (VAW). Initiated by APC's women's programme
(APC WNSP) in 2006, and built by a diverse movement of individuals,
organisations, collectives and communities, the campaign is part of
the UN-sanctioned 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence
which begins on November 25 each year.

It is our right to shape, define,
participate, use and share knowledge, information and technology, and
to create digital spaces that are safe and equal. Take Back the Tech!
calls all users of information and communications technologies (ICTs)
-especially girls and women but also men and boys- to take control
of technology and consciously use it to change unequal power
relations.

Spread the
word
State your stand and help us spread
the word about the campaign. Send this message on, change your email
signature or status messages to point to the campaign website, send a
digital postcard, put the campaign banner on your site, chalk it on a
sidewalk, any creative ways you can think of to spread the word! If
you are on Twitter, tweet with us by using the hashtag:
#takebackthetech. If you are a blogger, ka-BLOG with us :) Spread the
word by translating actions and slogans in your local languages, and
disseminating the campaign and its daily actions through any of your
online channels.

16 daily actions
Simple daily actions throughout the 16
days show how to use technology strategically to counter VAW. From
sending SMS, to making digital postcards, learning a new software,
playing with radio or remembering forgotten names in the history of IT
development, you can take action with the tools and platforms you
have at hand. Check the campaign website during the 16 days to take
part in daily actions.

Ka-BLOG with us
Explore and broaden the knowledge
around technology and internet and violence against women by joining
the Take Back the Tech! 16-day blogathon.

New to blogging? This is the perfect
reason to start your own, or at least, click that "comment"
button to have your say. In Filipino slang, "ka-BLOG" means
someone you blog with, we can all blog together to raise awareness
and help end VAW. Tag your blog posts using Technorati tag:
"takebackthetech", or register your blog on the campaign
website, or email us: ideas@takebackthetech.net. Join our movement to
transform the blogosphere!

Start a campaign
Start your own Take Back the Tech!
campaign. Independent and creative initiatives to Take Back the Tech!
are taking off in different parts of the world, translating content
and action to address local needs and priorities.

Use the campaign website to highlight
your action, or find information and resources. There are campaign
kits, images and graphics, tips on how to be safe online, articles
and links, available in English, Spanish and French. If you don’t
have an online publishing space, you can have your own page on the
site. Email us to let us know how we can support your action:
ideas@takebackthetech.net.

Digital stories,
audiocasts &
more
Learn by listening to the experience
and stories of women and men affected by VAW. The campaign website
will feature digital stories, audiocasts, video clips and postcards.
If you have something you would like to share, just log on to the
campaign site and submit your story.

Suggest an action
Help shape the campaign by sharing your
experience and ideas. If you have thoughts, email us or log on to the
site, and make it part of the campaign.
Check www.TakeBackTheTech.net
daily
from 25 November to 10 December, and take control of technology to
end violence against women.
For more information: send an email to
ideas@takebackthetech.net

http://www.womensnet.org.za/news/take-back-tech-soweto
Women’sNet has just completed painting a mural in Soweto, Chris Hani Bargwanath Hospital wall. The aim of this activity is to launch a global campaign, Take Back the Tech The campaign which calls on all ICT users – especially women and girls – to take control of technology and strategically use any ICT platform at hand (mobile phones, instant messengers, blogs, websites, digital cameras, email, podcasts and more) for activism against gender-based violence.

On the 10th December, Women’sNet and partners will launch the campaign by engaging in activities such as paper doll creation, collecting messages and signature in support of the campaign, hanging up clothing (dresses, t.shirts, with messages) in support and to commemorate women and children that experienced gender based violence. This day also marks the beggining of a 365 day online activity to combat violence Against women and Children.

The launch of this campaign in South Africa will be followed up with a variety of activities which include a public education campaign, “keep your chats exactly that!”, aimed at educating young people, parents and teachers about the digital dangers but also positive use of ICTs.